A
Arizona_Fat_Gir
Guest
Your situation sounds like mine many years ago (in the early 70s). My little girl had scarlet fever, she got sick with colds, flu, chicken pox, etc. I had a miscarriage, and I continued to work. Many times I was reprimanded for taking off work. I had a day care center take her, and my mother pitched in. I also had a few sitters.
The trouble was that she was supposed to be with me when she was sick. No one felt they wanted the responsibility. I also took her to the hospital emergency when she was hurt at day care.
We had virtually nothing. We did not own a home. We had no car. We had very little money in savings. So, our savings were hardly going to help us. We went on food stamps.
A couple of people told me to try and get on welfare since I couldn’t do much worse getting help that way. Since my husband wasn’t working, I thought that could be our port in the storm, if necessary, but was unwilling to go that route unless there was no choice.
It worked out in the long run, and while things were tough, I became very resourceful. Now, when I shop, I can work things to my advantage: got a coupon for $10 off? I can find a clearance sale on something and get it for almost nothing. (like at JCPenneys I had a gift coupon for $10 off anything $10 or more. I found a dress marked down to $9.95 on clearance. It was a $70 dress.) I learned how to drive. That was a worthwhile thing. I have learned to live on very little. I know even suggesting welfare would get me in trouble with some groups, but one must live somehow.
Meanwhile, going on welfare seems to be a good answer if one is at the end of their rope. I don’t know how anyone can afford to work. Childcare is so expensive. Unless the job paid well, it wouldn’t help. My jobs, incidentally, were your typical low-level clerical jobs. They weren’t intended to support a family. My daughter who worked all her life paid large amounts to day care, but the salary she earned justified it. She as a college graduate was able to earn much more than I ever could. So, the only way I know of that a mother could really hold down a well-paying job would be to have a nanny that would be available 24/7. Ever wonder how those news anchors and other people have families and good jobs. It’s the help behind the scenes. Without some support from them, it would be nearly impossible to work at anything that had any significance.
The trouble was that she was supposed to be with me when she was sick. No one felt they wanted the responsibility. I also took her to the hospital emergency when she was hurt at day care.
We had virtually nothing. We did not own a home. We had no car. We had very little money in savings. So, our savings were hardly going to help us. We went on food stamps.
A couple of people told me to try and get on welfare since I couldn’t do much worse getting help that way. Since my husband wasn’t working, I thought that could be our port in the storm, if necessary, but was unwilling to go that route unless there was no choice.
It worked out in the long run, and while things were tough, I became very resourceful. Now, when I shop, I can work things to my advantage: got a coupon for $10 off? I can find a clearance sale on something and get it for almost nothing. (like at JCPenneys I had a gift coupon for $10 off anything $10 or more. I found a dress marked down to $9.95 on clearance. It was a $70 dress.) I learned how to drive. That was a worthwhile thing. I have learned to live on very little. I know even suggesting welfare would get me in trouble with some groups, but one must live somehow.
Meanwhile, going on welfare seems to be a good answer if one is at the end of their rope. I don’t know how anyone can afford to work. Childcare is so expensive. Unless the job paid well, it wouldn’t help. My jobs, incidentally, were your typical low-level clerical jobs. They weren’t intended to support a family. My daughter who worked all her life paid large amounts to day care, but the salary she earned justified it. She as a college graduate was able to earn much more than I ever could. So, the only way I know of that a mother could really hold down a well-paying job would be to have a nanny that would be available 24/7. Ever wonder how those news anchors and other people have families and good jobs. It’s the help behind the scenes. Without some support from them, it would be nearly impossible to work at anything that had any significance.